Flight disruption and summer travel: What families in the UAE need to know

A busy week at airports as the school term finishes coincides with significant regional delays

Following a period of flight disruption, many families are planning to travel in the next few weeks as school holidays begin. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Read more: Flights cancelled to the UAE

UAE airports are always extra-busy at the end of the school summer term, as many families jet off for their holidays.

While some prefer to leave early to get a head start on their break, others wait until the last day of term, which falls on June 26 for most schools this year. Many opt to stay in the UAE for a few weeks until the initial flurry of departures calms down.

UpdateUAE and regional flights delayed, cancelled or rerouted

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Those planning to fly out this week have had to factor ongoing travel disruption into their plans amid the conflict between Iran and Israel, and following the Iranian attack on US air base Al Udeid in Qatar.

Several flights around the region were diverted or cancelled, and while many airlines are back to operating their usual routes across the Middle East and farther afield, the knock-on effect of the disruption is still being felt.

Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport urges departing passengers to “check with their airlines before heading to the airport”, while Dubai Media Office says: “While Dubai Airports is working with airlines to ensure flights operate according to schedule, some flights may experience delays or cancellations.”

Airport advice: Allow extra time and check ahead

A high volume of travel is expected at UAE airports between June 26 and 30. Chris Whiteoak / The National

As is typical with busy travel periods, holidaymakers have been advised to stay up to date about possible changes and leave more time to get to and around the airport.

Emirates Airline says more than 30,000 travellers are expected to depart Dubai International Airport on Thursday, and this rush will continue until June 30.

“Customers should plan for extra traffic on the roads approaching the airport, busier car parks, more people going through immigration and the time it may take to travel between concourses and reach boarding gates,” the airline said in a statement.

Emirates also issued advice on the amount of time travellers should allow for the check-in process. Passengers should arrive three hours before departure during peak times to ensure enough time to pass through immigration.

‘We are rethinking our summer plans’

As many families try to establish the status of their existing flights – or seek to rebook cancelled ones this week – some who have been directly affected by the events of June 23 say they are reconsidering travel this summer.

One father-of-two says he is “rethinking our summer plans” after his wife and two daughters were on a plane that was diverted owing to the attack on the US airbase.

“Mid-flight from Amman to Dubai, the captain announced that Qatar airspace had been closed and the plane must be rerouted,” says the Dubai resident, who has chosen to speak anonymously.

“My wife was connected to Wi-Fi on the flight and received messages that Iran had launched missiles towards Qatar and that most Gulf countries have closed their airspace. She thought that the plane would return to the outbound destination. Luckily, it didn’t and it only took them about one extra hour to land,” he recounts.

Some families are cancelling their summer travel plans. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Even so, he adds: “We are rethinking our summer plans for sure. We will most likely avoid travelling unless we feel that there is no more tension in the region. I’m currently in China on business and am hoping that everything calms down before my return at the end of this month.”

The National contributor and mother-of-two Katy Gillett says keeping an eye on regional activity has become a priority when planning her travels in July and August.

“After the events in Qatar on Monday, and the fact that my husband got turned around back to Europe on a flight heading to Dubai, we've been considering meeting him in the UK, where my parents live,” she says. “I'm not overly worried for our safety in the UAE, but I am concerned about further flight disruptions and not being able to reach my elderly parents if needed.”

Uncertainty around paid-for flights

“We were supposed to fly to Crete in a few weeks via Tel Aviv, but the first part of the trip has been cancelled,” says mum-of-two Sara Rafaghello, who lives in Dubai. “The booking agent said to leave it for now and see if there’s a chance the flight will come back online. The second part of the journey to Crete hasn’t been cancelled.”

She adds: “I had booked the cheapest and quickest ticket, which was just six hours with the layover. I will either have to rebook new flights or wait a week in the hope the flight is reinstated.”

Some previously cancelled flights could come back online, say travel agents. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mum-of-two Sofia Jones says her family's travel plans have also been affected, despite the fact they aren't due to fly for two weeks. Jones wants to fly to Vancouver with her sons on July 9.

“We had booked with Air Canada back in December 2024, but I received emails this week saying Air Canada has cancelled all flights to Dubai until August 5,” she says.

“Personally, I think the cancellations are a bit extreme. Many other airlines are continuing to operate, so why wouldn’t or couldn’t they? Fortunately, we found an alternative route departing the same day around the same time, which is convenient.”